Say No to Elephant Rides at the Minnesota Renaissance FestivalAction Alert from All-Creatures.org

FROM

ACTION

Elephant rides have recently been abandoned by several
events after responsible board members viewed the evidence, including Orange
County and Los Angeles County Fairs, the city of Fountain Valley, CA and the
Santa Ana Zoo. With your help we can add the
Minnesota Renaissance Festival to this list.

INFORMATION / TALKING POINTS

Animal Defenders
International (ADI) has launched a nationwide initiative in the U.S.
about the use of elephants for rides, performances, or making appearances at
public events. At the heart of the campaign is a new DVD narrated by Bob
Barker entitled " No Fun for Elephants" featuring harrowing undercover
footage from inside elephant training facilities in California, as well as
abuse of an elephant on tour by Texas-owned company Trunks & Humps.

Elephant Rides at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival

ADI has learned that the supplier for the elephant rides
at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is Trunks & Humps. During one of the
most disturbing video clips in "No
Fun for Elephants," elephant handler Mike Swain beats an elephant named
Krissy, viciously drags her to the ground with a hook, and then kicks her in
the face. Krissy is "owned" by Trunks & Humps, run by Bill Swain, Mike
Swain's father.

Help Stop This Abuse

ADI and ARC are appealing to the public not to pay to ride
these abused elephants, since doing so pays for this appalling cruelty.
We're also seeking volunteers who would like to help educate festival
attendees with leaflets and the "No Fun for Elephants" video. If you would
like to volunteer, call 612 822-6161 or email
dallas@animalrightscoalition.com. You can also send a polite message to the
Minnesota Renaissance Festival asking them to cancel the elephant rides and
make it their policy not to have performing elephants.

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